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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23673295">Shades of grey</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Bl4ckHunter/pseuds/Bl4ckHunter'>Bl4ckHunter</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Smallville</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate outcome of Smallville 8x13, Moral debacle, Not for fans of Lana Lang, Other</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-04-15</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-04-15</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-03 01:54:00</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Major Character Death</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>874</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/23673295</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Bl4ckHunter/pseuds/Bl4ckHunter</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>One-shot story. After a tragic outcome of tracking down Lana, Clark and Tess get into a moral argument.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Clark Kent and Tess Mercer</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>3</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Shades of grey</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>I've rarely done Smallville fics and I've been considering alternate pairings and Clark/Tess could have potential if Tess had stronger moral values like Clark or if Clark was more willing to bend the rules from time to time. This is a dilemma that had been nagging my mind for a while though and I confess I haven't seen Smallville as a whole in a while and I have very little desire to do so due to how annoying Clark/Lana was and how dragged out it was and how too much over the top the soap opera drama in the show often is.</p><p>Apologies in advance if either Clark or Tess are OOC, I'm trying to base the fic on what I do remember about the show and characters, since I have little desire to re-watch the show as a whole. Let's say that Clark doesn't make it in time to intervene and Tess has no idea it was Lana.</p><p>Plus, Tess isn't stupid, with good writing, she could've figured Clark out much earlier. Let's just say she figures out Clark's secret much earlier due to finding the Veritas journals earlier and if either Tess had stronger moral values like Clark or if Clark was more morally flexible, I can see it work.</p><p>Disclaimer: I do not own DC Comics or Smallville.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"Where's the Prometheus suit?"</p><p>Tess knocked out Groll's assistant as Groll stepped up. "Stop! Don't enter that chamber. Any contaminant could kill—"</p><p>"Where is it?" Tess demanded and Groll paled, facing the barrel of her gun inches away from his forehead before she saw the chamber behind Groll. "Prometheus must be destroyed."</p><p>"It's too late. You can't destroy the suit without murdering—"</p><p>"It's a sacrifice I'm willing to live with. No one should have their hands on this thing. And certainly not Lex Luthor." Tess fired at the generators that sparked and exploded, cutting off the power in the chamber.</p><p>"No!" Groll cried out as the power was cut off. "What did you do?"</p><p>"What I had to do to stop Lex. Nothing personal, doctor." Tess aimed the gun at his forehead but the next thing she knew, she was sent flying back as Clark entered and he stared in horror. "Lana…"</p><p>"Lana…?" Tess whispered, not believing her own eyes before noticing her employee. She had suspected there was something off about him and she suspected he was something more than he seemed to be, after reading Lionel's journals… but now she knew for certain. He was a Kryptonian, the Kryptonian messiah destined to save the world.</p><p>"What did you do?" Clark whispered as he X-Rayed Lana, noticing that her vitals deteriorated quickly and there was nothing he could do to save her as he stared at Tess in shock. "What did you do?"</p><p>"Clark… you have to believe me… I didn't know. I swear I didn't know…" Tess pleaded.</p>
<hr/><p>Later in the hospital, Tess waited as Clark went out.</p><p>"She… she didn't make it. The doctors tried to stabilize her. They did what they could but… her condition kept getting worse." Clark said and Tess could feel herself deflate. Lana had opened her eyes about Lex and she repaid her by killing her. Part of her was telling herself she did it for greater good, so why didn't she feel any better about this?</p><p>"Clark, I'm so sorry. I swear I never meant to hurt Lana." Tess said.</p><p>"But you were willing to cross a lot of lines to take down Lex." Clark said, not angrily but trying to understand.</p><p>"Let's just say I had my eyes opened." Tess admitted, remembering Lana revealing to Tess that Lex had been using her as her eyes and ears. "I couldn't let him hurt anyone else. Not me… or Lana… or you." She looked at him and Clark stiffened as he met her eyes. He had seen those eyes before with those who had discovered his secret and not under the best of circumstances. "I've suspected for months but it wasn't until today when I knew for sure. I've read the Veritas journals… Kal-El."</p><p>"What do you want, Tess?" Clark asked warily. Lex had considered Clark as his enemy, once he had learned his secret, thinking that Clark would conquer the world. And Tess had shown on more than one occasion that her methods weren't so different from Lex's.</p><p>"What I want… I've wanted to help people. I thought that by working for Lex, I was working for the right cause… and lately… I don't know what that is anymore. But what I do know… is that I don't want to be your enemy." Tess said, looking at Clark with sincere remorse.</p><p>"Why should I trust you?" Clark asked, skeptical. "You've lied, you've blackmailed, you've manipulated and you've killed—"</p><p>"I only did what I thought was right until I realized what wasn't." Tess said. "And can you honestly say that Lana is any better than me? We both wanted the same thing. To stop Lex. Even though I realize that our methods may differ."</p><p>Clark sighed and considered. Suddenly he saw a lot of Alicia in Tess. She felt ashamed of her past actions and wasn't sure how to make up for them.</p><p>"I'm not your enemy, Clark. I swear that it's the last thing on Earth that I want to be." Tess pleaded.</p><p>"Well, you certainly didn't help your case by killing someone I care about." Clark glared.</p><p>"And how many times has Lana Lang lied to you, treated you like crap, manipulated you and used you?" Tess countered. "I may not know you as well as I believe, Clark but I have a good idea what you and Lana had been through. Even though Lionel and Lex blackmailed her, she did have a choice. Tell me honestly, why are you really angry and who are you angry at? You're angry that someone from the Luthors took away someone you love, or that the one you thought was the love of your life, again lied and schemed behind your back and used you for her own agenda?</p><p>When you realize that things are not as black as white and that world works in shades of grey, you know where to find me. But until then, save that judgmental look for someone, who really fits your definition of a villain. I'm not a villain. So don't treat me like one."</p><p>She gave Clark a glare as she got up and walked away, while Clark stared at her contemplatively, reluctantly admitting she had a point about Lana.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Not sure if I did a good job with Clark's and Tess's reactions, since I don't remember much about Smallville and I have very little desire to re-watch the show. I pieced this from clips I saw recently and from what I do remember from the show and about the characters. Like I've said, if Clark was more morally flexible or if Tess had stronger moral values, I think they wouldn't bust heads as often as they did in the show and they easily could have become something.</p><p>I am tempted to write one more chapter to get onto some Clark/Tess stuff but haven't decided, since I'm not sure how would it look like. In case I find myself unable to get to it and add the second chapter that would conclude this, I'm leaving the story like this as a one-shot.</p><p>Please review and let me know if you have enjoyed this.</p><p>With regards</p><p>Bl4ckHunter</p></blockquote></div></div>
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